Living the Free Agent Rules

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Living the Free Agent Rules

• Deb Bass
• PMI Luncheon
• February 11, 2004
• www.bass-inc.com

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The Information Age Moving To The Relationship Age

• What is it?
• What does it mean for the working American?
• How can you prepare yourself?
• How can you position your career?

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Current American Workforce Climate

• Vanishing company employee with increasing
  focus on employability
• Increasing popularity of contracts with option
  to hire
• Rapid technology changes
• MA, bankruptcies and reorgs
• While you the worker are in demand, your job is
  more insecure than ever.

4
Tech Workers Are Wary

• What were seeing with the new generation of
  tech workers is that the job is only as good as
  the professional development it engenders and you
  dont expect to stay with a company more than two
  or three years. I think the economic environment
  were in has only emphasized that.
• Cynthia Morgan, VP,Techies.com

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Understanding the Free Agent Rules

• Its as much a matter of mindset as mobility
• Form alliances
• Make your boss look good
• Fine tune your soft skills
• Vest fast dont get far from the revenue stream
• Keep competing
• U.S. News World Report Career Guide, 2001

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To Far From The Revenue Stream?
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2004 Workforce/place Trends

• Employment Market Turbulence
• Shift To Sellers Market in Labor
• Fluid International Job Movement
• Evaporation of Retirement
• Training/Education Will Accelerate
• Herman Trend Alert 2004

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2004 Workforce/place Trends

• Crippling Leadership Deficit
• Flexible Employment Gaining Popularity
• Casual Is Here To Stay
• Advantage of Agility
• Increase of Independent Workers
• Herman Trend Alert 2004

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Future Survival Skills For The Relationship Age

• Ability to make decisions with insufficient
  information - info doubles q 100 days
• Ability to manage contradictory, equally valid
  solutions to problems
• Flexibility and the ability to thrive in change
  environments

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Future Survival Skills For The Relationship Age

• Listening skills connected to the ability to take
  action, neither is enough alone
• A view of the customer as the only point of
  action - personal touch paramount
• Risk takers who thrive in an OK to fail
  environment

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Future Survival Skills For The Relationship Age

• Those who function well in diverse environments
• Understanding that education is lifelong and
  personal career development plans
• Can play well with others in the sandbox

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Grasp the Life Long Education Concept

• Write, then implement a career development plan
• Expand your horizons in the workplace
• Avoid positions that may pigeon hole your work
  experiences
• Share certifications and degree completions
• Keep your resume current and write several
  versions

13
Intrapreneur vs. Entrepreneur

• Way of thinking and approaching a full time
  position
• Always be thinking of your options
• In recent years a paradigm has been created
  while you the worker are in demand, your job is
  more insecure than ever.

14
Construct And Practice Your Vision

• Review the classified ads
• Work a plan
• Take your boss to lunch
• Send personal note cards
• Practice saying I want your job.
• Women In Business And Industry, Summer 2002

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Personal Financial Security

• Three to six months living expenses liquidity
• Up front educational expenses
• Thorough understanding of current benefit package
  and the impact of transitioning

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Do You Have What It Takes?

• Do what you say you will do
• Stay positive, no whining allowed
• Seek to understand the big picture ask why?
• Dont expect others to do your work
• Situate yourself to be a risk taker
• Dont think it will come easy

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Focus on Your Employability

• Accept responsibility for ones own career
  development
• Awareness of the job market employer or
  employee driven?
• Membership in professional groups and
  associations build a card file
• Involvement in networking opportunities
• Fine tune job search skills

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Future of the American Worker???

• Rising benefit costs
• Rising taxes
• Security concerns
• Competing against a global economy
• Increased litigation
• Impact on the US economy

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Questions and Discussion

• Bass Associates, Inc., a HunTel Company
• 2027 Dodge St. Suite 500
• Omaha, NE 68102
• Voice 402-346-1505
• Fax [phone]
• E-Mailinfo_at_bass-inc.com
• HTTP www.bass-inc.com